Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-02-24

A RELIC OF The PAsr.-In a dark
corner OF the Pittsburgh Law Library
are piled number of old and musty
volumes of legal lore. but little used,
the science Of obtaining or delaying
justice having advanced since they
were authorities. While locking
through one Of these books, Librarian
?. g. DiGby discovered, neatly folded,
time-stained sheet of velium. in-
scribed in ancient Dutch characters.
The document is apparently an ofiici-
al transcript Of a criminal trial at
Haarlem. in Holland. in l767. A
free translation Of the manuscript, di-
vested of legal verbiage, brings to
light case of circumstantial evidence
which resulted disastrously, not only
to the accused but to the city Of
Haarlem.
Godfried Yohe. Westphalian boor
or clown, was pursuing his way to
Amsterdam in search of more profita-
ble employment than his own coun-
try afforded at that period. Ii hap
pened that the party of immigrants
with whom he had travelled stopped
to drink at wayside tavern in Haar-
lem Wood, where he soon became SO
completely intoxicated that they laid
him under a tree asleep and left him
to get along as best he could when he
became sober.
Great was his terror and inexpres-
sible bis amazement when, upon awak-
ing, the poor wanderer saw about him
IA number Of men dressed in blue and
wearing silver -hilted swords, and hear
ing himself accused Of having robbed
and murdered a merchant. Greater
still was his horror and alright on
seeing that the blade and hilt of his
knife were besmeared with blood, that
his right hand was bloody, and that
in his pockets was found property
which was known to have belonged TO
the murdered man. The terror and
confusion he manifested were naturally
interpreted as uneqrivocal proofs of
guilt. His protestatlons and suppl
cations were alike disregarded. His
country and his poverty combined to
render him a subject of reproach and
derision, for the INDECENT German
l.horers We're subject to insult and
wrong in Holland. After many
months Of close confinement Yohs Was
brought to trial. The companions Of
the accused appeared in his behalf,
and they proved that he was dead
drunk and neither able to stand nor
walk when they lett him in the wood.
The public prosecutor contended that
he had arisen in state Of frenzy. had
robbed and murdered the merchant,
and, heing unable to proceed. had
staggered back to the tree, and was
there taken red handed The resnlt
was that Yohe Was condemned to die,
and after having been tortured TO
make him confess his guilt aud ac-
complies, but without success, was
behsaded.
The fate Of the poor German had
long been forgotten when, upon gang
Of desperate robbers and murderers
being detected in Gelderlaud. and Just
q. they were led out to execution, two
OF them confessed the crime Tor which
GodfiIed Yoh- had suffered at H~ar-
lem The criminals, IN their joint
Confession, stated that a. they were
waiting the arrival Of Il merchant in
herberg or inn in Haarlem Wood,
who, they knew, would pass along near
about that time on his way from Lem
,ner to Amsterdam. they noticed tue
German Doors and the very drunken
ct ate Of one Of them whom the rest Of
his comrades left dead drunk under an
oak.n tree. After they had murder
ed the traveller and plundered his per-
son, events which took place only
very short distance from the spot
where the unfortunate Yohe lay asleep,
one Of the bAnditti suggested the hDr-
rlble expejient Of staining his hands,
his garments and his knife with the
vet resking gore of the slain, and put
ting into his pockets a few OF the least
valuable trinkets found upon the mer-
chant. The wrstches were so harden
ed that they were present at the
execution Of Yohe and watched the
death OF their victim.
An appendix to the document states
that the facts of the case coming under
the notice OF the Stats General. the
authorities of HaArlem were held 10
have been guilty Of cuipable ne-ii-
gence in not ferreting out the real
criminal. The city was, therefore,
fined ten thousand guiiders and lost
the privilege evermers OF having its
own executiOner.-PitsbEry Dispatch.